Shabu

Kiersten Villanueva

Shabu

Kiersten Villanueva

Drama,
Thriller

Short

Los Angeles

Shabu represents the social and inhumane issues occurring in the Philippines today with its war on drugs. By placing that idea in an American setting, our film intends to raise awareness on the topic and paint an unsettling reality for those fearing for their lives in the Philippines.

Shabu represents the social and inhumane issues occurring in the Philippines today with its war on drugs. By placing that idea in an American setting, our film intends to raise awareness on the topic and paint an unsettling reality for those fearing for their lives in the Philippines.

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5 Days, 18 Hours Left

$2,210 pledged of $2,465

22 supporters, 32 followers

Inclusion Statement

Our team strives to paint an American society that parallels the Philippines which will shed a light on the thousands of Filipino citizens who were killed under President Rodrigo Duterte's discretion. We are very excited to visualize an unforgiving world that raises political and social commentary.

About The Project

President Rodrigo Duterte was elected into office in June 2016 with the impression that big changes would be happening in the Philippines, specifically with the rampant drug epidemic. What came next was far from imaginable. Death tolls in the thousands as suspected drug dealers and criminals were executed on the streets, in fields, or in their homes. Most of these executions were for the easily obtainable drug meth, or in slang, shabu. What many didn't see coming was the increased violence in these high-profile districts involving police and vigilantes. It became so much more than containing the drug trade, it became a witch hunt.

We wanted to approach this story in an unconventional but thought-provoking manner, thus our story was born.

Shabu, embodies those core values that mimic daily life in the poorer districts of the Philippines where the violence occurrs most and having it take place in America. Our team wants to bring this entire world to life where the killings have become a normal part of daily life. A world that views drug dealers, or pushers, and criminals as expendable beings that ought to be taken out of society in the most extreme way possible. Citizens of this society have become desentized to the violence and learned to ignore the dead piling up on the street. Enter the main protagonist, Jen.

Jen is a photojournalist who documents the dead on a day-to-day basis for the news agency, The New Times, which uses those photos as propaganda. On top of that, "watch-lists" that reveal names and addresses of suspected drug dealers and criminals are published for easy access; which only further promotes the drug killings. Jen, who took the job for security, has been living comfortably with her younger brother, Rey, for quite some time. She is essentially part of the system.

Throughout the course of the film, Jen starts to realize the corrupt nature of the people living in her surroundings and how easily manipulable the drug reform laws are. The film explores the privilege that many people have in today's world and upon realization of its sinister side, that control is easily deteriorated in a matter of seconds.

Our team wants to respect the Filipino citizens who lost their lives by making sure that we make a film that conceptualizes the fear and hardships that they face in their daily lives.

We hope that you feel as strongly attached to the subject as we are and by contributing to the project, we can make this politically and socially charged film to the big screen.

Incentives

$10

Social Media Shout Out!

Through our Facebook and Instagram account, receive a special shout-out!

$25

Thank You Letter

Receive a special thank you letter from the Director!

$50

Signed Copy of the Script

Receive a copy of the script signed by the Director and Writer!

$75

Behind-The-Scenes Footage

Receive a link to behind-the-scenes footage of the making of Shabu.

This also includes all previous incentives.

$300

Associate Producer

Receive credit as "Associate Producer."

This includes all previous incentives.

Claimed: 1 of 2

$500

Executive Producer & Attend The Screening!

Receive the title "Executive Producer" in the credits and can attend the film's screening.

Executive Producer & Attend The Screening!

Current Team

About This Team

Our team, consisting of very talented and knowedgeable individuals, have assembled together to bring this story to life in the best and most appropriate manner possible. Shabu would not be made without the creative foresight that each team member possesses and it is with that prowess that this film will successfully tell a very contorversial topic.

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Basic Info

Before we get started, please confirm the following:

I will not be running a campaign for this project on another platform simultaneouslyI understand that I need to reach at least 80% of my goal to keep the funds raisedI have ( or someone on my team has ) a US bank account and SSN or EIN